The present invention relates to waterproofing building structures, and more specifically to a flashing kit utilized to waterproof the periphery of a building structure, such as a chimney.
Flashings are normally utilized to waterproof the periphery of a building element extending outwardly and/or upwardly from the building structure, such as a chimney. Flashings are often utilized on chimneys which protrude out of a sloped roof of the building, such that the chimney defines a top end near the apex of the roof, a bottom end opposite the top end and a pair of side ends extending between the top and bottom ends.
The flashing including three types of parts, namely, base flashing members, counter flashing members, and a number of tin shingles. To assemble the flashing around the chimney, initially the base flashing members are placed against the top and bottom ends of the chimney. The tin shingles are then positioned along each side of the structure between the base flashing members, such that the shingles extend partially beneath the roofing shingles. Finally, the counter flashing members are placed over the base flashing members and the tin shingles, and sealingly engaged with the chimney to waterproof the exterior of the building chimney around which the flashing is placed.
The parts of the flashing are formed from flat sheet metal pieces present at the site of the building. To form the flashing members into the proper shape and configuration to accommodate the chimney being waterproofed, each of the flashing parts, must be cut to the appropriate length and width from the pieces of sheet metal at the job site. Each part must also be individually bent in order to size the flashing members to the chimney. Thus, on most occasions, the flashing members are custom made on the job site.
In order to appropriately size the flashing members on the job site to fit the particular chimney or other structure being waterproofed, one or more bending tools, such as a sheet metal brake, are required. These tools are quite expensive, and require a large amount of experience in order to be utilized properly to form the appropriate bends in the respective flashing members. Furthermore, as each of the base flashing members and counter flashing members are formed independently of one another, it is also necessary to be able to solder or otherwise attach each of the flashing members to one another in order to form the waterproof seal about the chimney after placing the members around the structure.
To make the application of the flashing members around a chimney or other building structure easier, a corrugated corner base flashing member has been developed which can be attached at each end of the base flashing members. The configuration of this corner flashing member allows it to be easily deformed around the corner of a structure to enable the base flashing member to more easily conform to the shape of the structure.
While this corner flashing member eliminates the need for the use of a tool to bend a base flashing member to conform to a corner of the structure, the corner flashing members are separate pieces and must still be soldered or joined to the base flashing member and tin shingles positioned on either side of the corner flashing member in order to provide the proper attachment between these pieces to form the waterproof seal. Also, because the corrugated corner base flashing members are separate pieces, the base flashing members, the counter flashing members and the shingles must still be made, i.e. cut, bent and attached to the corrugated pieces and to one another in order to form the appropriate flashing for a given structure.
As a result, it is desirable to develop a flashing system or kit that includes preconfigured components which easily conform to the shape of a structure around which the flashing is to be applied. Furthermore, it would also be desirable to develop a flashing kit in which one or more of the flashing members can be secured to one another using preformed connections on the respective flashing members.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a flashing assembly formed of flashing parts that are pre-shaped to be easily conformable to the shape of a building structure to be enclosed by the flashing.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a flashing assembly including a number of base flashing members that are readily deformable to conform to the configuration of the building structure and the roof from which the building structure extends.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a flashing assembly with a number of counter flashing members including preformed locking receiver joints that enable the counter flashing members to be quickly and reliably secured to one another.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a flashing assembly that can be sold as a kit which includes base flashing members, tin shingles, and counter flashing members having the desired color and formed of the desired material.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a flashing assembly sold as a kit in which the respective flashing members contained within the kit are pre-sized to fit building structures having specific dimensions.
The present invention is a flashing assembly for waterproofing the periphery of building structures, such as chimneys that can be sold as a unitary kit. The assembly includes a number of pre-bent base flashing members, tin shingles, and of counter flashing members. Each of the base flashing and shingle members included in the assembly is pre-bent to conform to a predefined angle existing between the building structure and the roof such that each member can be immediately placed against the structure without having to use conventional tools to bend these members on the job site.
Each of the base flashing members is formed from a generally rigid material, such as a piece of sheet metal, and includes a pair of corrugated sections integrally formed at each end of the base flashing member. The corrugated sections allow each end of the base flashing member to flex and conform to the shape of the corners of the building structure against which the base flashing member is positioned, such that the base flashing member does not need to be bent by the individual applying the base flashing using conventional tools, such as a sheet metal brake. Further, one of the base flashing members includes a center corrugated section disposed between the corrugated end sections that enables the base flashing member to conform to the shape of a slanted surface adjacent the structure, such as a saddle positioned on a roof against the top end of a chimney. With the corrugated center section present, the base flashing member does not need to be bent along its center using conventional tools in order to conform to the shape of the saddle. After the base flashing members are positioned against opposite ends of the surface, the tin shingles can be placed between the base flashing members along the sides of the structure in a conventional manner.
The flashing assembly also contains a number of counter flashing members adapted to be positioned around the building structure over the base flashing members and tin shingles. The counter flashing members each include a locking receiver joint at one end that can receive and engage an aligning tab or flange formed on an adjacent counter flashing member. Each locking receiver joint includes a slot in which the flange can be received and a locking tab that is pivotable over the slot once the flange is received within the slot. In this manner, each of the counter flashing members can be securably attached to one another around the building structure over the base flashings and the tin shingles without the need for any additional securing means other than the counter flashing members themselves.
Once the counter flashing members are secured to one another, the counter flashing can be waterproofed, or sealed with respect to the building structure by providing a sealing element along the top edge of each counter flashing member opposite the roof. The sealing element is an upwardly and angularly extending flange between which can be positioned in engagement with a sealing substance disposed on the structure, such as a caulk, or which can be directly affixed to the building structure.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawings.